allen



'Ma/@Ys (No Molo-191.)

1G.,J.ALLBN.

(No Model.)

Patented June 11, 1895.

, w m. n Y l ww GAITER.

TME MORRIS 'EYERS C0., FNOTO-LTNO.. WASHINGTON, B4 C.

f@ #www A, UNITED i STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CALEB JOSIAH ALLEN, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

GAITER.

Y SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 540,889, dated J' une 11, 1895. Application iil'ed d'annary 10. 1895. Serial No. 534,449. (No model.) Patented in England November 15, 1894, No. 22,062.

To all whom' it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, CALEB JosIAH ALLEN,

ya subject of the Queen of Great Britain, re-

siding at Birmingham, England, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Gaiters, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in Great Britain, No. 22,062, dated November 15, 1894,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a gaiter, boot, leggin, or spatt, and its object is particularly to provide foot-wear for bicyclists, though the same may be adapted for other persons and will be found equally advantageous.

The-primary object of the invention is to prevent the creasing of and'injury to the legs of the trousers, and the distigurement which is occasioned by spring attachments or other devices heretofore in use.

To these ends my invention consists of a gaiter, leggin, boot or spatt, which comprises au ankle-portion and an abnormally enlarged upper portion which extends above the contracted portion between the ankle portion and the same, and which is suitably stiffened so as to stand out from the trousers leg and permit the rolling up of the same within the enlarged upper portion of the gaiter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a side elevation of a gaiter constructed according to my invention and provided with a foot part, and-Fig. 2 is a similar view of a gaiter without a foot part.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

When applied to gaiters (spatts), the mate-` rial of the article is preferably leather, Waterproof material or the like, and the body of the gaiter A is constructed so as to overlap at its ends in the usual way; while as shown in Fig.

l, it may be provided with a foot-portion a,

or the same may be dispensed with, as shown at Fig. 2. Above the ankle-portion d is a contracted portion a2. The upper or leg-portion d3 is offset at d4 from, and extends above and flares outwardly from the contracted portion a2, the same being of considerably greater dimensions than that of the ankle-portion, so as to afford a pocket to enable the folding within the same of the bottom of the trousers leg. The annular offset formed between the contracted portion and the upper leg portion Aof the trousers takes place.

is what enables the upper leg portion to be made of abnormalsize. The provision of this abnormal size to the upper or leg-portion enables the loose folding of the trousers leg within it, and the absence of any pressure upon the same so Aas to prevent creasing of the trousers. `This upper or leg-portion agis, when desired, suitably stiffened so that itean retain its position and shape, or it can be made of thin card-board or other suitable material if necessary, attached to the ankleportion of the gaiter.

The enlargement of the leg portion of the spatt, while it is continued around the same to a certain extent, is fuller at the back thereof than at the front, as that is where the folding The provision of the fullness at the back'also diminishes as much as possible any interference that might be caused vby the resistance of the wind, and also prevents too close proximity to the gearing of the bicycle. When adapted for van anklet, (the foot portion being dispensed with) the construction of the leg-portion is precisely similar to that described.

The method of fastening the gaiter, boot, leggio, or spatt which I prefer to adopt, is as follows: Around the top of the leg portion of the gaiter, and also around the ankle or footportion thereof, acircular divided ringof suitable springmetal is arranged, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, for the purpose of suitably stiffening the gaiter, boot, leggio, or spatt. One of the meeting-edges of the article is provided with a spring fingeror thumbpiece b attached rigidly thereto and provided at its free end with a head b having a hingeconnection with the finger or thumb-piece, said head being adapted to engage a hole or concavity in an eye-piece b2 fastened rigidly to the other edge. A series of these fastening devices are preferably provided. The head b willbe securely held in the eoncavity of the opposite end when the two ends are juxtaposed and connected. .The natural spring of the metal will probably be sufiicient to cause the fastening to be self-acting. In order to release the fastening, pressure exerted upon ythe thumb-piece or lever will disengage the parts. If desired the upper and lower circular rings or fastenings maybe connected-by a vertical spring strip running down the meet- IOG ingor overlapping-edges of .the gaiteror other article, so as to assist in maintaining `the rigidity of the leg-portion.

Though I have specified the above-named fastening as the preferred form, I may employ other suitable forms of fastenings such as a lever and eyelet, aside spring, butt-ons, dac., as usual.

Another example of a fastening medium is shown in Fig. 2, wherein one meeting-edge of Jthe gaiter there shown is provided with headed studsd2-whieh are adapted to engage in the slots d provided in the opposite edge of the gaiter, said slots dbei-ng provided with enlarged eyes d at their outer ends to per` mit `the ready introduction of the studs d2.

A gaiter or similar article .construct-ed aeoordingto emy invention is much heater, .more .easily put von,and is more elegant in appearance than those heretotore in use; Iand is at the same time `either suitable for riding or walkingfwh-ile it prevents -tihe creasingor injuring .of the trousers.

l. A gaiter, 'leggin or like article of `'foot-L wear, consisting-of a body provided with an ankle-portiomfa contracted portion above the ankle-portion, an offset above the contracted portion, and an enlarged upper or leg-portion above the odset so as to form a pocket in which the rolled-up leg of the trousers can be placed, substantially as set forth.

2. A gaiter, leggin or like article of footwear, consisting of a body provided with an ankle-portion, a contracted portion above the ankle-portion, an oset above the contracted lportion and an enlarged topper .or leg-portion above the offset so as to form a pocket in `which 'the rolled u-p *leg of =tl1e trousers can be placed, and fastening devices for the overlapping edges .of .the article, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I .claim the lfioregoing as mynvention Ihave signed my name i-n .presence :of divo subscribing witnesses.

ICALEB JGSIAH ALLEN. Witnesses:

WILLIAM FREDERICK WEI, WILLIAM CHAPMAN. 

